Submerged bridge.



W. BLANOHARD.

SUBMERGED BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

anew;

W. BLANGHARD.

SUBMERGED BRIDGE.

APPLICATION PILEDAPR. so, 1909.

949,791. Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q Q N W. BLANOHARD.

SUBMERGED BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

A 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N Q M UN s rn a FFQE.

WILLIAM BLANCI-IARD, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

SUBMERGED BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM BLANOHARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State ofLouisiana, have invented a new and useful Submerged Bridge, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a submerged bridge or viaduct fortransportation purposes, in navigable bodies of water, and is especiallydesigned for those localities where the soil is of such a nature thatitis practically impossible to construct foundations, unless atprohibitive cost, as for instance, along the lower regions of theMississippi River.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of asubaqueous viaduct composed of a central river section mounted onterminal piers adjacent the shore and connected with land or shoresections, whereby a complete water-tight tubular structure is providedpartially submerged to render the employment of expensive foundationsunnecessary since the buoyancy of the submerged portion is utilized forthis purpose, the central river section being braced, strengthened andreinforced by novel are rangement of cables for withstanding the variousstrains to which it is subjected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal tubularstructure mounted on a skeleton framework and coated with concrete orother protective material and formed with saddles at its ends forconnection with supporting and retaining piers, and also provided withsaddles at intermediate points to which guy cables are fastened, thesaid saddles forming means of attachment for trussed cables extendinglongitudinally of the bridge.

iVith these objects in view and others, as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claimsappended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, Figure l is a transverse section of a river in which theimproved bridge is built. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical transverse section on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is anenlarged fragmentary sectional view of that portion of the bridge wherethe river section joins with one of the shore sections. Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail sectional view taken through the bridge at one of thesupporting piers. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view, showing the keelconstruction of the bridge.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the views.

In the accompanying drawings, A designates the central section of thebridge which is of such length as to extend approximately from one shoreof the river to the other, and the extremities of the central riversection are united with shore sections B which are slightly inclinedinwardly toward the river with their outer ends extending off at agradual grade to the surface of the land at points more or less remotefrom the river, the river being shown in the present instance asconfined between levees 1. Close to the shore are piers C which supportthe section A, there being only two such supports or piers, as these canbe readily constructed by the use of coffer-dams extending outwardlyfrom the banks of the river, the section A being built on the land andlaunched like a boat and floated into place, there being removablebulkheads in the ends thereof with valves or other devices for admittingwater to submerge the hollow tubular section when properly positionedwith respect to its supporting piers. The section A is of greater lengththan the distance from one pier to the other and unites with the shoresections B at the dotted lines 2, Fig. l. The ends of the section A thusextend landward with respect to the piers C and are formed with saddles8 which rest on the piers. Intermediate the main saddles 3 are spacedsecondary saddles at which serve to reinforce the tubular structure Aand form means for connection with the truss cables. Attached also tothe saddles 4 are guy cables 5 extending up and down stream with theirouter ends fastened to heavy concrete anchors 6 which effectively bracethe bridge at points intermediate its piers.

Extending longitudinally of the bridge and exterior to the section Athereof, are a plurality of sets of cables 7, 8 and 9 which stiffen thesaid section to withstand the pres sure of the stream, and also anyupward or downward tension. These cables are all applied to the sectionA, before the latter is completed on the land, and the ends of thecables are gathered together, so as to be out of the way during theoperation of placing the section A in position, and after the saidsection is positioned, the ends of the cables are unfastened andstraightened out to extend along the land sections of the bridge towhich the ends are anchored. The bridge is trussed against the pressureof the water by the set of parallel cables 7 arranged along thedownstream side and passing through the secondary saddles 4, which areextended laterally, as shown in Fig. 2, for the double purpose ofspacing the cables from the middle portion of the bridge section and toassist in withstanding the pressure of the downward flowing water, andthe ends of the cables extend through the main saddles 3 and aresuitably anchored on the shore sections of the bridge. The bridge isbraced against downward strains by the set of cables 8 which arelocated, as shown in Fig. 2, along the up and down stream side of thesection A and extend along the bottom thereof between the saddles 1, andafter passing through the latter, they extend upwardly to and throughthe top of the saddles 3 and thence downwardly to be suitably anchoredto the shore sections of the bridge. Four or any other desired number ofcables 9 are used to withstand the upward tension on the bridge, andthese cables extend under the section A with their middle portionspassing through the saddles 4 and also through the saddles 3 at a pointbelow where they penetrate the saddles, and thence upwardly to connectwith the shore sections B of the bridge. These various truss cables andguy cables are made up of numerous strands or ropes of wire that areinclosed in a lead or other protecting sheath so as to preventdeterioration or corrosion. Any desired tensioning and anchoring devicesmay be employed for tightening these truss cables, these devices beingshown in the present instance as eye bolts 10 passing through lugs 11 onthe shore sections B of the bridge.

The piers C are constructed after the coffer-dams are built and eachpier is formed of a number of hollow metallic cylinders 12, which aredriven into the river bottom to the desired depth and the mud or earthis then removed from the interior of the cylinders and the latter filledwith concrete. These cylinders are tied together in any suitable mannerand concrete is molded around them to form piers of any desireddimensions. Embedded in the concrete in the upper ends of the cylinderare bolts 13 having anchoring devices 14:, and these bolts projectupwardly through passages 15 formed in the saddles 3. In placing thesection A of the bridge on the piers, the bolts pass through thepassages 15 and nuts or equivalent devices bolt the section A firmly tothe piers.

The piers not only hold the bridge against lateral displacen'ient, butserve as anchoring means whereby the bridge is held down against thetendency to rise by reason of its buoyancy.

In constructing the land sections B of the bridge, the levees or banksof the river are excavated behind the cotter-dam, and after a foundationhas been laid, consisting of piles 16 that support a bed of concrete 17,the sections B of the bridge are built up. When these two sections arecompleted and. the section A assembled between them, the extremities ofthe sections are united at the dotted lines, Fig. 1. After being thusunited, the shore sections are enveloped in a casing of concrete D whichextends laterally both up and down stream and shoreward from the piersC, whereby a practically indestructible anchoring means for the ends ofthe bridge is provided. After the casing D, which, as shown in Figs. 2and 3 has downwardly and oppositely-sloping top surfaces 18 andoppositely-curved side surfaces 19 whereby little obstruction is offeredto the flow of the water, has been constructed, the levees or banks ofthe river are restored, and, if desired, a retaining wall E may be builton the land side of the levees for insuring greater security.

Each section of the bridge is constructedin the form of a sheet metaltube composed of plates 20 riveted together and also riveted to askeleton framework consisting of vertically-disposed approximatelysemi-circular ribs 21. These ribs are riveted to a vertically-disposedbulkhead 22 extending longitudinally of the bridge and through thecenter thereof for providing separate passageways 23 for trains or othervehicles, the bulkhead having manholes 22 so that trackhands and thelike can conveniently pass from one passage 23 to the other withouthaving to go to the terminals of the bridge. The bulkhead, which may beconstructed of sheet metal plates, projects downwardly be low the shellformed by the plates 20 to constitute a keel extending the full lengthof the bridge, and between opposite sides of the keel and the bottom ofthe tubular shell are arcuate bracing plates 24, as shown in Figs. 5 and6. After the shell is thus con structed, the same is covered with aprotective coacting 25 of concrete which entirely houses the metal partsof the structure, so that there is no chance of deterioration from theeffects of water.

In joining the sections of the bridge together, the meeting ends areleft unfinished so that the plates of the shell will have to be fittedtogether and the concrete protecting covering applied over the platesafter they are riveted, so that, in reality, a practically single piecebridge is formed extending from one-entrance to the other. The ribs 21are enlarged at their upper and lower ends where they are connected withthe bulkhead, so as to provide horizontally-disposed transverselyextending stiffening members for withstanding the lateral strainsexerted by the pressure of the water. Disposed between the enlarged feetportions of the ribs are eye beam sections 26 arranged in a line atopposite sides of the bulkhead to form stringers extending the fulllength of the bridge, and these eye beam sections are riveted orotherwise fastened to the ribs.

As shown in Fig. 5, cross plates 27 are arranged on the stringers andribs at ,the saddles 3, and through these cross plates extend thefastening bolts 13 which secure the section A of the bridge to thepiers. Each pair of guy cables 5 are disposed with their upper endsattached to the bridge by passing inwardly through each saddle 4 of thetubular section A with their extremities crossing or overlapping andsecured to anchoring means located within the tube at opposite sides ofthe bulkhead.

As shown in Fig. 3, cross plates 28 are provided on the skeletonframework of the tube and the guy cables are secured to these crossplates and are equipped with tightening devices of any suitablecharacter, as for instance, turnbuckles 29 whereby the guy cables can betensioned.

The bridge is provided with a concrete floor 30 into which are creosotedwood ties 31 for the track rails 32, and this floor can be laid in sucha manner as to provide for draining water which might collect in thebridge to certain points from which it can be drawn off by pipes throughthe instrumentality of a pump. The bridge is provided with roof plates33 arranged in each passage and se cured to the bulkhead 22 andoppositelydisposed ribs 21. The bridge is provided with ventilatingpassages 34 formed between the roof plates 33 and top of the bridge, andthe enlarged upper ends of the ribs are made with openings 35 wherebycontinuous passages are formed at opposite sides of the bulkhead andrunning, if desired, the entire length of the bridge.

The roof plates are provided with ports 36 that communicate with theventilating passages 34, and over the shell of the bridge is arranged aventilating conduit 37 that terminates in up-takes 38 at the banks ofthe river, any suitable means being employed for drawing off the gasesand smoke from the tunnel in case forced ventilation is necessary. Thefree passage 37 communicates with the inside passages 34 by means ofports 39, the said ports, as well as the ports 36, being arranged atshort intervals, so that the gases can readily escape. At the saddles ofthe bridge are reinforcing frames 40 riveted or otherwise secured to themetallic shell, and these frames are embedded in the concrete whichforms saddles or lateral ribs 3 and 4 of the central section of thebridge. The truss cables preferably connect with these frames, so thatthere is no danger of cracking the concrete by excessive strains.

A bridge constructed in this manner is especially adapted for rivers orother bodies of water where navigation is carried on and where the soilis of such anature that heavy structures cannot be supported withoutextensive foundations. Furthermore, the bridge is of durable andsubstantial construction, and when once laid, will require practicallyno repair owing to its durable character. Furthermore, since the mainsection can be built upon the land and launched and floated into placewhen finished, and then submerged during the positioning thereof withrespect to the shore sections, it is obvious that less labor and time isrequired in its construction as compared with aerial bridges.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the apparatuswhich I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to haveit understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and thatsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of theclaims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a central tubular sectionmade in a single piece and extending approximately from one shore to theother of the body of water to be bridged, supporting piers arranged onlyat the ends of the said section, and shore sections secured to thecentral section.

2. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a central tubular sectionextending approximately from one shore to the other of the body of waterto be bridged, terminal supporting piers disposed inwardly from the endsof said section, and shore sections joined to the ends of the centralsection.

3. In a submerged bridge, the combination of separately-formed shoresections supported entirely upon the land, a separatelyformedsingle-piece central section placed between and joined to the shoresections, and supporting means for the ends of the central section.

4. In a submerged bridge, the combination of separately-formed tubularshore sections supported entirely upon the land, a separately-formedsingle-piece tubular central section of such length as to extend fromone shore section to the other and joined to both, supporting piers forthe extremities of the central section, and a guy device connected withthe central section at a point between the piers for withstandinglateral strains.

In a submerged bridge, the combination of a continuous tubular structureanchored at its ends to the shores with its intermediate portionsustained free from the bed of the body of water bridged, externalreinforcing devices connected with the said structure and extendinglongitudinally of the intermediate suspended portion, and a plurality ofanchoring devices connected at spaced points with the tubular structurefor withstanding lateral strain.

6. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a continuous tubularstructure anchored at its ends to the shores with its intermediateportion sustained free from the bed of the body of water bridged,external reinforcing devices connected with the said structure andextending longitudinally of the intermediate suspended portion, guycables fastened to the tubular structure at points intermediate the endsthereof and extending upwardly and down stream, and anchor devicesfastened to the cables and resting on the bed of the said body of water.

7. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structuresupported at its ends, pairs of transversely-extending guy cables havingtheir inner ends crossing and fastened to the structure, anchorsfastened to the outer ends of the cables, a plurality of cables arrangedexterior to the structure and independently connected therewith atdifferent points to cooperate with the guy cables to withstandtransverse strains on the structure.

8. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structure,supporting piers therefor, spaced transversely-extending ex terior ribsforming saddles, a pair of guy cables extending from opposite sides ofthe saddles and having their inner ends secured to the structure, andanchors fastened to the outer ends of the guy cables.

9. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a continuous tubularstructure, land supports at the ends thereof, and a plurality of trusscables extending longitudinally of the structure for withstandingtransverse strains on the latter.

10. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structurecomposed of separately-constructed central and shore sections joinedtogether, and a plurality of truss cables extending longitudinally ofand connected with the central section and having their extremitiesfastened to the shore sec tions for withstanding transverse strains onthe central section.

11. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structurecomposed of sepalately-constructed central and shore sections joinedtogether, a plurality of truss cables extending longitudinally of andconnected with the central section and having their extremities fastenedto the short sections for withstanding transverse strains on the centralsection, supporting piers at the ends of the central section, and guycables connected with the central section at points between the piers,said guy cables having anchoring de vices for cooperating with the trusscables to brace the said structure.

12. In a submerged bridge, the combina tion of a tubular structure, aplurality of truss cables on the down stream side thereof, a pluralityof cables along the bottom of the structure for trussing the sameagainst upward pressure, and additional truss cables fastened to thestructure for opposing downward pressure.

13. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structure,supporting piers, saddles on tlie structure for seating the latter onthe piers, additional saddles at points on the structure between thepiers, a plurality of truss cables arranged exterior to the structureand connected with the saddles to withstand transverse strains, anddevices for anchoring the ends of the cables 011 the shore portions ofthe structure.

14. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structure,supporting piers, saddles on the structure for seating the latter on thepiers, additional saddles at points on the structure between the piers,a plurality of truss cables arranged exterior to the structure andconnected with the saddles to withstand transverse strains, devices foranchoring the ends of the cables on the shore portions of the structure,and guy devices connected with the structure and extending transverselythereto to cooperate with the truss cables for withstanding lateralstrains.

15. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a central section, pierssupporting the ends thereof, shore sections joined to the centralsection, a supporting foundation for the shore sections, a concretecasing extending from the piers to the shore and cooperating with thesaid foundations to envelop the bridge at the points of juncture betweenthe sections, and levees on the casings.

16. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a supporting pierconsisting of a concrete structure having a plurality of hollowreinforcing cylinders, bolts anchored in the cylinders by concrete andextending upwardly above the pier, a tubular bridge structure formedwith a saddle for resting on the pier and having openings through whichthe bolts extend inwardly, and tightening devices on the bolts arrangedwithin the tubular structure for fastening the latter to the pier.

17. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure comprising alongitudinally-extending bulk-head, approximately semi-circular ribssecured to opposite sides thereof, a sheet metal shell fastened to theribs, and a road-bed extending along the bottom of the structure atopposite sides of the bulk-head.

18. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure comprising alongitudinally-extending bulkhead, spaced ribs at opposite sides of thebuklhead, a shell carried by the ribs, and a protecting envelop aroundthe shell.

19. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure comprising avertically-disposed longitudinally-extending bulkhead, ribs fastenedthereto, a shell carried by the ribs, said bulkhead extending below theshell to form a keel, and a coating of concrete surrounding the shell.

20. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure comprising a skeletonframework, a shell carried thereby, saddle frames secured to the shell,and a concrete casing surrounding the shell and the saddle frames.

21. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure comprising a skeletonframework, a shell carried thereby, saddle frames secured to the shell,a concrete casing surrounding the shell and the saddle frames, and trusscables connected with the saddle frame and with the terminal portions ofthe structure.

22. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure consisting of alongitudinally-extending central bulkhead, ribs having their upper andlower ends secured to the bulkhead, beam sections secured to the lowerends of the ribs to form longitudinal string ers at opposite sides ofthe bulkhead, a shell composed of sectional plates fastened to the ribs,a concrete casing surrounding the shell, a road-bed disposed over thestringers and extending along opposite sides of the bulkhead.

23. In a submerged bridge, a tubular structure consisting of a bulkhead,ribs disposed at opposite sides thereof, a shell carried by the ribs,roof plates disposed within the shell and secured to the ribs andbulkhead to form internal ventilating passages, ports in the roofplates, an external ventilating passage running longitudinally along thetop of the shell, ports in the shell to connect the internal andexternal passages, and outlet devices connected with the ends of theexternal passage and located adjacent the terminals of the bridge.

24. In a submerged bridge, the combination of a tubular structure,supports for the ends thereof, saddles arranged at spaced points alongthe unsupported portion of the structure and extending laterally fromthe down stream side of the latter, and truss cables extending acrossthe saddles and longitudinally of the structure with their terminalportions fastened to the latter.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoafiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM BLANGI-IARD.

Witnesses:

JoHN H. Sresmzs, EDITH L. BROWN.

